Most big fullbacks are crashers, divers, or pushers. Blanchard is different. Doc explodes off the mark. I've never seen another big man start so quickly . . . .Imagine a big bruising fullback who runs one hundred yards in ten seconds flat, who kicks off into the end zone, who punts fifty yards, who can also sweep the flank as well as rip the middle, who catches laterals or forward passes with sure-fingered skill, and who makes his own interference. That's Blanchard! What makes him a great fullback is the fact that he's really a halfback, that is he's fast enough to play halfback. He starts like a flash and he never stops driving. He does everything as well an any fullback I ever saw, and he does some things better. It's strange. There's something about the terrific power with which Blanchard runs that makes people think he's much bigger than he really is. Red Blaik

Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis autographed this 1945 Al Vermeer cartoon. I also have a 1947 advertisement of the film Spirit of West Point signed by both. He also signed a 1944 Jack Sords cartoon and a couple of All-American news articles from 1945 and 1946.

Jack “Flying” Cloud (1925-2010)

We were a tired bunch of barnstormers and we were more interested in preserving our bodies than winning a meaningless game [pre-season exhibition game against the 49ers in Sacramento in 1954]. As a consequence we were behind by a couple of touchdowns at half time, and the tall, skinny laundry magnate who owned us came storming into the locker room. Jack Cloud, the veteran linebacker, was the object of his immediate rage and Marshall fired him on the spot, right there in front of Lambeau and the rest of the team. . . . The firing of Cloud didn’t help us a whole lot, and we wound up losing 30-7. Don Paul

Jack Cloud sent me two autographed cards and printed answers on a questionnaire for me in 1998.

George “Automatic” Karamatic (1917-2008)

Bob Kennedy (1921-2010)

Fullback/Halfback—(Washington State) Third Air Force Gremlins 1944-45; New York Yankees 1946-49, New York Yanks 1950 [All-American 1942]

Some of the records I made in college are as follows: 1. Broke the total yards gained in a season held by Kenny Washington. 2. Broke national record for most times carried ball in a season. 3. Led Pacific Coast Conference in scoring [in] 1942, 2nd in 1941. 4. Scored 3 touchdowns in 3 minutes against Univ. Of Idaho [in] 1941. Also I played in more All Star games [6] than anyone in history. Bob Kennedy

Charles "Cotton" Timmons (1917-1996)

Charles Timmons declined to autograph a 3x5 card, but he printed his full name on a questionnaire I sent to him in April 1993.

Mario "Motts" Tonelli (1916-2003)

Fullback/Defensive Back—(Notre Dame) Chicago Cardinals 1940,1945

One year, and I'm out, boys. I’ll be back knocking you in the head before you can kick the mud off your cleats. Just don't give away my locker. Mario Tonelli, to his teammates on his decision to join the Army on a one-year hitch in 1941

Tonelli caught nine passes for the Chicago Cardinals in 1940 before entering the Army as an artillery sergeant. After being captured by the Japanese, Tonelli was forced to march 70 miles under inhumane conditions. The march was responsible for the deaths of about 10,000. His 42 months as a prisoner of war included 60 days in darkness aboard a “hell ship” to Japan. There, he contracted diseases while working in rice paddies and factories. Tonelli went from 212 pounds to 92 at liberation, but he came back to play in one pro game. “I owe everything to Charlie Bidwell. He came to the hospital after the war and said, ‘Motts, before you left the Cardinals, you still had a three-year contract. We expect you to honor it.’ By renewing it, he provided me with a wonderful opportunity because, under the rules of the NFL, you had to play both before and after the war to get credit for your pension. Both of us knew it was nearly impossible for me to play again, but I was determined to do my best for him. I tried to play as an outpatient. Don Hutson came up, shook my hand and said, “Don't worry, kid. I'll make you look good.” The above autographed article entitled "Tonelli Makes Grid Comeback" his brief return to the NFL after the war. He wrote that Wee Willie Wilkin and Byron "Whizzer" White were the toughest players in his estimation.

"Deacon" Dan Towler (1928-2001)

The Giants were far from perfect in 1954, but the defense began to solidify. It was never as tough, however, as it felt one day to Deacon Dan Towler of the Rams in what was one of my funniest football memories . . . .When the Rams drove the ball to our 1-yard line, we knew what was coming. Jack Horner, Tank Younger, and big Deacon Dan Towler raced onto the field. I figured they would run the play off-tackle to [Dick] Nolan's side since he was a rookie and smaller than I was. I warned him to be ready. Sure enough, at the snap of the ball the Los Angeles line surged forward, opening a huge hole in front of Nolan. The quarterback faked the handoff to Younger, who plowed through the opening looking for someone to crush. Deacon Dan took the ball, lowered his head, and charged into the gaping hole behind Tank. If he'd have looked up he could have waltzed into the end zone untouched. He would also have seen the goalpost, which in those days stood right on the goal line. But Deacon Dan drove with his head down, straight toward the goal line, at full speed, head first . . . right into that goalpost. I watched that solid wooden beam give under the momentum of the blow, bending farther and farther until it stopped and sprang back with a force that sent Deacon Dan Towler catapulting right back through the line. He landed in a semiconscious heap somewhere about the 5-yard line, the ball bounced free, and we recovered the fumble. Deacon Dan finally staggered to his feet, shaking his head as if to say, "What happened?" And there stood Dick Nolan, whom he outweighed by a good 75 pounds, scowling at him. "If you run at me again, Towler," Dick told him, "I'll really hit you." Then, as a bewildered look of respect filled Deacon Dan's eyes, Nolan turned to jog off the field, and the entire Giants' defensive unit nearly died laughing. Tom Landry

Ivan "Buzz" Trebotich (1920-1992)

Mel Triplett (1931-2002)

Fullback—(Toledo) New York Giants 1955-60, Minnesota Vikings 1961-62

Mel Triplett is the only man I ever knew who made Vince Lombardi back down. Vince kept running a play over and over, saying: “You missed that block, Triplett. You missed that block, Triplett. You missed that block, Triplett.” After the third time, Mel growled, “Don't run that no more.” Vince didn't. Frank Gifford

Roy "Buck" White (1901-1993)

Hugh “Red” Wolfe (1912-2010)

Fullback/Defensive Back—(Texas) New York Giants 1938

I was actually drafted by Pittsburgh, but was traded right away to the New York Giants for "Whizzer" White. Whizzer demanded a $15,000 a year contract, and the most the Giants were paying was $8,000 to Tuffy Leemans. They couldn't pay what Whizzer wanted, so they traded horses for me. My contract with the Giants was for $4,000.

Hugh Wolfe

He was buried in Erath Gardens of Memory Cemetery, Stephenville, Texas.

Paul "Tank" Younger (1928-2001)

We were playing in Chicago one day. I was at linebacker and Johnny Lujack went back to pass. He got hemmed up back there and started to run. This was right in front of Mr. Halas’ bench, mind you. I moved in for the tackle and right then he jukes me. Now I’m out of position and he’s about to run by. So I stuck out a hand and necktied him. He goes down, slams his head to the ground, and gets kayoed. Mr. Halas comes out onto the field and yells at me: “Tank, you SOB, we’re gonna kill you.” Then he puts Sid Luckman in at quarterback, and the next three plays they come right at me. Stan West, the linebacker playing next to me, yelled over, “It’s time to grab grass and growl.” Somehow, I managed to weather the storm, and after the game, Halas runs out on the field and puts his arm around me. That’s when he said, “Tank, you’re the greatest, dirtiest, best football player in the league. I just wish we had you.” And then he walked off. Tank Younger